Electric railway



No. 627,477. Patented lune 27, |899. W. M. BRUWN.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application fnled Mar. 4, 1899.)

(No Model.)

W YE N TOI? TTOHWE Y. .Y

ma nu lrc) UNITED STATES PATENT nnen.

VIIILIAM MILT. BROVN, OF JOI-INSTOWN,l PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE JOHNSON COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming`- part of Letters Patent No. 627,477, dated June 27, 1899.

Application filed March 4, 1899. Serial No. 707,737. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MILT. BROWN, of Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania., have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Railways, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this speciication.

My invention relates to electric railways of the general class in which there are disconnected contacts from the terminals for one side of a circuit, although normally there is an open circuit between the disconnected contacts and the source of electric supply.

The present invention specifically relates to that type of railway in which the circuit between the disconnected contacts and the source of supply is closed temporarily by means of a traveling magnet carried by the railway-vehicle.

In a general way the object of 'my invention may be said to consist in the provision of an improved form of system by which the weight of the magnet is reduced, while at the same time the efficiency of operation of the system will be augmented. Nearly all previous systems of this general type have belonged to one of two species. One of these species employs disconnected contacts, which are separated from eachother a considerable distancesay eight for ten feet-while a sufficiently long magnet and collecting-shoe are provided to span these isolated contacts and render 4the operationcontinuous. species employ disconnected contacts, which are separated from each other only enough to' permit of the necessary insulation between them, the circuit-closing device below the disconnected contact-s being continuous or substantially continuous. Broadly speaking, my invention consists in combining these two species in such a Way that I obtain the main advantages of each while eliminating many of the troubles of both.

My invention further consists in certain more specific features, which can be set forth to more advantage and with more clearncss after describing the specific structure shown in the drawings in detail.

about eight feet.

The other Referring to the drawings, Figure lis a perspective view, partly in section, of an electric railway embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is another perspective view showing a combined electromagnet and collecting-shoe in its operative position on the disconnected contacts. Fig. 3 is a side view of the said electromagnet and collecting-shoe, and Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the same. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of ythe box-frame which I employ above each of the circuit-closers. Fig. G is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of Fig. 1, showing more fully a preferred construction for the circuit-closer.

A represents the track-rails, which in the specific construction shown are intended to be .used also for the return side of the electric circuit.

A and A2 are the disconnected4 contacts, which are in the form of rails laid in pairs alongside of each other in short lengths-say The length of the disconnected contacts or supplementary rails depends principally upon the length of the car or train which is intended to pass over them.

B represents a pipe inclosinga feeder B in permanent connection with one side of the electric circuit. This feeder is led into a closed receptacle or box, which, as shown, is composed of four main parts-viz., an insulating-base O, made of fire-brick or similar material, the blocks D, and the center removable cover D', which is itself composed of a central strip D3 of non-magnetizable metal, and two sides D2 of magnetizable material. Within this box are a number. of parts composing the circuit-closer and the connections therefor to the feeder B. I may state at this point that the specific construction of these parts is not material or novel to the presentinvention; but as this system is to some extent a carrying forward of the principles of a system which has already been patented to me in previous patents-as, for example, No. 558,151, dated April 14, 1896-1 have shown the circuit-closer and surrounding parts of the exact form which is shown in the McFeaters patent, No. 618,179, dated January 24, 1899, the circuit-closer of which patenthas been used in connection with the system of my previous IOO patents to a large extent. Briefiy, the parts inclosed' within the box are as follows: The tube B, surrounding the feeder B', is`screwed into an open metallic vessel b'. A solid insulator b, in which is embedded a metallic pedestal B2, is carried by this vessel and rests on a rubber bushing b2, which bears against the end of the tube B2. The end of the feeder B' is secured to the pedestal B2. Secured into the cover-plate is the end of a bolt g2, which is formed in one with the top portion F of a sealed vessel comprising the parts F and F'. 'lhis vessel should of course be of insulating material, such as porcelain or vulcabeston. A bolt 7L is secured in the lower end of the bolt g2 and carries an electrode G', preferably of carbon. This electrode is thus in permanent connection with the metallic cover of the box. In the lower wall of the vessel is a nut g, to which are secured at the outside of the vessel springs g', which engage the pedest al B2. Within the vessel isa flexible copper ribbon H, secured to the nut g and at its other end to an armature H', which carries a second carbon electrode G. In my earlier systems, in which this circuit-closer was employed, the traveling magnet had two long longitudinal parallel poles which were carried over the parts which correspond to the sides p2 of the central cover-plate D'. The `magnetic path would be therefore through one of these sides, through the transversely-disposed armature H', and thence through the other of the sides D2 to the magnet. This is a very eflcient disposition of the magnetic path, and, as will be shown, this same principle is employed in the present invention, although the magnetic poles are not carried directly above the sides D2. I

Above the blocks D are secured the disconnected contact-rails A' and A2-as, for example, by bolts d, which connect the base C, blocks D, and rails A' and A2.

E is an open box-frame having deep ends e, adapted to slip over the ends of the closed boX,while the sides e are somewhat shallower, so as to rest on the top of the blocks D, a fia nge c2 being provided to engage the heads of rails A' and A2. E'is a cover-plate,which also rests on the flanges E2 and between the end walls c and the heads of the rails A' and A2. This box-frame E and cover E' should be of non-magnetizable material.

In Figs. 2 to 4 I have illustrated a form of magnet adapted' for use with my improved system. J is the neutral portion of the yoke, while J', Fig. 4, shows one of the vertical cores,which terminates in a pole-piece J2, the two pole-pieces riding one on rail A' and the other on rail A2. As shown, these pole-pieces are also used for collecting-shoes, and I deem this a preferable arrangement. J2 represents the energizing-coils. j is a spring which permits the shoes J2 to ride smoothly and evenly on the contact-rails. I prefer to design the shoes J2, as shown, so that at each end 'there is a projecting portion J", which docs not bear upon the contact-rails. This arrangement is for the purpose of allowing the magnetic Held to act upon any given pair of contact-rails both before the current collection from such rails commences and after it has ceased, thereby making it certain that the ci rcuit-closer will not be opened when in circuit with the car-motors, which would cause a destructive arc to form between the electrodes G and G'.

I believe that the operation of my invention will now be clear. The circuit between G and G' is normally open. lVhen, however, the ends J4 project over the ends of a pair of the contactrails, a magnetic path is at once formed,w hioh path iiows from one of the projections J4 to rail A', block D, one side of D2 of cover D', armature II', opposite side D2 of cover D', second block D, and rail A2 to the opposite magnet-pole. This will raise armature Il' and close the circuit from B' to the contact-rails. An instant later the main portions of shoes J2 will bear upon the said contact-rails, and current is collected by them and delivered to the apparatus on the car by any of the well-known methods for arranging the control-circuits.

It will be seen that by my invention I have dispensed with the long and extremely bulky magnet and collecting-shoe which had ordinarily been provided where isolated circuitclosers like those shown are at rest. At the same time I am enabled to make an even more eficient magnet, for the poles may ride directlyon the contact-rails, and the air-space is thus cut down to a minimum. As a matter of fact these rails practically form temporary magnet-poles. At the same time I have dispensed with the employment of continuous-current conveyers, such as magnetizable ribbons, the., which are not only extremely expensive, as they must be placed in continuous closed conduits, but my experience has shown me that for many reasons they are also very impracticable for cominci'- cial use. By my construction the boxes can be very readily opened and examined at any time without interfering with the regular operation of the road. The space above the cover D' inclosed by the box-frame E would preferably be wholly or partially filled with some heavy liquid insulator-such, for instance, as a mixture of asphalt and paraiinoilin'such proportions as to make a liquid heavier than water, which has been used to good effect for such conditions. This Ihave not shown, because immaterial to my invention, and it would only tend to complicate the drawings. u

It will be perfectly obvious that the invention herein shown and described may be employed without using the specific details which I have pointed out, as my invention is much broader than the specific mechanism which I have employed to illustrate it. I do not,therefore, desire to be limited to the specific cmbodiment of my invention herein shown.

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Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in an electric-railway system, of the armature of a circuit-closer, a pair of magnetically-separated magnetic conductors above said armature, and a pair of contactrails, each forming a longitudinal magnetic continuation of one ofthe said magnetic conductors.

2. The combination, in an electric-railway system7 of a circuit-closer in connection with one side of the circuit and adapted to be magnetically operatedto temporarily close the circuit, magnetic conductors placed in proximity to the armature of said circuit-closer, c ontactrails forminglongitudinal magnetic continuations of said magnetic conductors, and a magnet adapted to travel over and in close proximity to said contact-rails.

The combination, in an electric-railway system, of circuit-closers, each of which is normally open but has an armature adapted when raised by magnetic attraction, to temporarily close the circuit, said circuit-closers being isolated from each other and connected to one side of the circuit, contact-rails disconnected from each other but each of sufficient length to almost bridge the distance between adjacent circuit-closers, aud a magnet adapted to travel over and in close proximity to said contact-rails to transmit magnetism therethrough successively. to the armature of the respective circuit-closers.

4. The combination, in an electric railway, of magnetically-actuated circuit-closers separated along the line of way, a magnetic conductor closely adjacent to the armature of each circuit-closer, and a contact-rail of sufficient length to almost bridge the distance between neighboring circuit-closers connected to each of said magnetic conductors and forming a longitudinal continuation thereof.

5. The combination, in an electric railway of magnetically-actuated circuit-closers separated along the line of way, a magnetic conductor closely adjacent to the armature of each closer, a contact-rail of snflcient length to almost bridge the distance between neighboring circuit-closers connected to each of said magnetic conductors and forming a longitudinal continuation thereof, and a magnet and collecting-shoe traveling over said contact-rails, substantially as described.

6. The combination, in an electric-railway system, of a box containing a circuit-closer in connection with one side of the electric circuit, magnetic conductors forming part of said box and located above said circuit-closer, said magnetic conductors forming substantially a pair of magnetic conductors at opposite sides of the box, the individual members of the pair being substantially insulated magnetically from each other, and a contact-rail engaging each of said pairs and forming longitudinal continuations thereof.

7. The combination in an electric railway of a pair of parallel rails arranged longitudinally with the track, a box below said pair of rails, a top for said box having two sides of magnetic material separated by a non-magnetic center, but each magnetically connected to one of the said rails, and the armature of a circuit-closer within the box and beneath the said sides of the box-top. y

S. The combination of rails A and A laid alongside each other, magnetizable blocks D secured beneath said rails, box-cover D' composed of magnetizable sides D2 and non-magnetic center D3, insulating-base H, and the magnetically actuated circuit closer within said base.

9. A pair of longitudinal, parallel magnetic conductors arranged in the road-bed and a traveling magnet having its poles adjacent to said conductors, in combination with a box having separated magnetizable blocks connected one to each of said parallelconductors, and the armature of a magnetically-actuated circuit-closer below said blocks.

10. Thecombinatiomin an electric railway, of a pair of parallel magnetic conductors in the road-bed, a box beneath the same having magnetic continuations of said conductors, a magnetically-actuated circuit-closer within saidv box, and a non-magnetizable box-frame and cover inclosing the space between said rails and above said box.

11. The combination, in an electric railway, of a pair of parallel magnetic conductors in the road-bed, a box beneath the same having blocks forming magnetic continuations of said conductors, a removable cover for said box iittin g between said blocks and composed of a non-magnetizable center separating magnetizable sides, the non-magnetizable boxframe and cover inclosing the space between said rails and above said box, and the magnetically-actuated circuit-closer within said box.

12. The combination, in an electric railway, of a box containing a magnetically-actuated circuit-closer, a pair of rails of magnetizable material forming magnetic continuations of said box, a box-frame of non-magnetizable material having ends extending downwardly to the bottom of said box and sides secured to the webs of said rails, and a cover of similar material between the ends of said box-frame and the heads of said rails.

13. In an electric railway, the combination of a magnetically-actuated circuit-closer, a

pair of parallel rails electrically and magnetically in circuit withv the said circuit-closer, and a combined magnet and collecting device adapted to travel over said rails, the poles of said magnet being spring-pressed against the said rails to act as a current-collecting de- Vice and having extended'portions out of contact with the said rails, but closely adjacent thereto.

14. The combination of the rails A and A',

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the non-magnetizable box-frame E and cover to aetuate the said terminal G and collect eur- E', the magnetic conductors D and D2 berent from the said rails. lo tween the said rails and the eireuit-closing` In testimony whereof I have ai'lixed mysgdevices, Ithe Circuit-closer having terminal G nature in presence of two witnesses.

5 electrically in circuit with the said rails, the r lV. MIT/V. ROXVN movable terminal G electrically in eireuit Witnesses: with the source of electric Supply, and the RICHARD EYRE, travelngmagnet and collecting-shoe adapted ll. W. SMITH. l 

